EPSRC logo

Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: EP/M022463/1
Title: The Plasma-CCP Network
Principal Investigator: Arber, Professor T
Other Investigators:
McKenna, Professor P Barnes, Professor M Chittenden, Professor J
Norreys, Professor PA Zepf, Professor KM Dudson, Dr BD
Roach, Dr CM McMillan, Dr BF
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Physics
Organisation: University of Warwick
Scheme: Standard Research - NR1
Starts: 01 July 2015 Ends: 30 July 2021 Value (£): 125,995
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Fusion Plasmas - Laser & Fusion
Plasmas - Technological
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Energy
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Panel DatePanel NameOutcome
24 Nov 2014 CCP Networking Call Announced
Summary on Grant Application Form
Plasma is the dominant state of matter in the observable universe, and modern research in basic plasma physics is largely underpinned by computational plasma physics. Computational plasma physics is pivotal in efforts to develop a range of practical plasma based applications. The Plasma-CCP brings together computational plasma physicists with expertise in two major plasma application areas: magnetic confinement fusion (MCF) and laser-plasma interactions (LPI). Plasma physics lies at the heart of both application areas, but scientists tend to operate in separate communities owing to significant differences in geometrical constraints and in the physical regimes of interest. Plasma-CCP's main activity is built around core codes that are crucial for the future development of both MCF and LPI, but we note that these codes are by their very natures rather specific to each sub-discipline. The Plasma-CCP adds considerable value to the whole of plasma physics by fostering the exchange of ideas, algorithms and computer science expertise between sub-disciplines.

Specific science addressed by the MCF side of Plasma-CCP includes:

- Developing high fidelity models of plasma turbulence in the core and edge of MCF devices

- Comparing HPC simulations using state-of-the-art models against data from MCF experiments

- Exploiting turbulence models to optimise design/predict fusion performance in future devices

- Understand the transport of heat and charged particles along and across magnetic fields, interaction between plasmas, neutral gas and material surfaces.

- Modelling how the edge plasma, nearest the reactor walls, impacts on reactor performance

The LPI side of Plasma-CCP addresses a wide range of basic science and fusion related research including:

- Optimising LPI parameters for next generation hadron accelerators for cancer treatment

- Laser driven electron acceleration with applications to novel light sources

- High-field LPI of interested to high-energy density physics

- QED-plasmas as expected from the next generation of high power lasers, e.g. the Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI) and Vulcan 20PW.

- Laser drive and plasma compression for inertial confinement fusion energy

Key Findings
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Potential use in non-academic contexts
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Impacts
Description This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Summary
Date Materialised
Sectors submitted by the Researcher
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Project URL:  
Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.warwick.ac.uk